1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to removing grease from cooker exhaust air and, more particularly, to urging cooker exhaust air to engage a substantially cold surface to facilitate the condensation of grease upon the cold surface, thereby promoting the return of grease free air to the atmosphere.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Restaurants and other commercial users of cooking grease release large quantities of grease laden air to the atmosphere during the cooking process. In densely populated areas, the grease ultimately deposits upon and damages adjacent structures. An increasing number of planning departments for relatively small communities are requiring the removal of grease from grease laden air before the air is returned to the atmosphere.
Prior art devices and methods have utilized hot “after burners” to incinerate the grease in grease laden air, or have included “water misters” to condense the grease from the air. The problem with hot after burners is that the cost of the fuel to operate the after burners at the required temperatures is prohibitively expensive. The problem with water misters is that only a relatively small portion of grease is condensed from the air, thereby allowing substantial amounts of grease to be returned to the atmosphere.
A need exists for a device and method that removes substantially all the grease from grease laden cooking exhaust air, and at a relatively low cost.